New Years Resolution:Pray for the Dead More
December 31, 2007 by ken88
My “Religious” New Years Resolution: (as opposed to my “temporal” resolution: quit smoking) To Pray for the Dead More, as so many Catholics now assume that Grandpa automatically reaches the Beatific Vision directly after death. No one prays for them anymore, as they are not told the Truth. Every funeral is now a Canonization.
Funeral of Bishop Heylien in France
Death of Bl. John XXIII
Death of St. Pius X
Happy New Years Ken! Your secular resolution is a tough one - it has been 8 weeks since I quit and I still want to light up.
A worthy goal.
People forget to pray for them too much.
People forget that in turn they pray for you.
Thank you for adding Per Christum to your links… When the blog owner has time, we are going to sit down and add yours as well.
Happy New Year!
My friend,
Happy New Year!!!
I really love to read your blog.
Please give us more exquisite photograph continuously!!!
I am supporting you to quit smoking.
As my friend is a smoker, I also support you as i support my friend.
Again, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!
Hey there folks! Happy New Year.
Here is an observation I’d like to share. I was wondering if any one has any official info. on the burial of the popes?
The wonderful pictures of John XXIII you posted jogged my memory. I was in Rome in October and noticed that John’s body is laid out in simple cassock and camauro. In the picture posted he has full papal vestments (gauntlets, fanon, mitre, etc…..)
Pius X…. same thing. His body…. Mass vestments…. now exposed in simple dress?
Does one change the clothing before burial, or before they are put on display?
Happy New Year Terry, I quit for a few years then came back, quit again, came back. Don’y give in, you can probably already feel your lungs clearing up by now ( multiple flights of stairs are much easier when not smoking)
Simple Sinner, Calvin: Thank you both Happy New Year!
Sacristy Rat: Good Question, I noticed that too. Unfortunately, I don’t have the answer…. Maybe someone does? (Latinmass1983 where are you when we need you?)
Brilliant I shall join you in your resolution. On your secular resolution I would suggest to start after Jan6th. The 12 days of Christmas are to be days of celebration not fasting.
I think they change the clothes of the dead Pope before they are put on display, because the clothes would have deteriorated.
“Every funeral is now a Canonization.”
Thats a great way to put it! I have also observed this trend throughout the Church, very saddening. Originally, one of the main points of a funeral was that all of these people could gather together to pray for the soul of the deceased. Now its a gathering to assure eachother that the deceased is most certainly in heaven, since they were such a great person. A Priest recently told me that the majority of the money left in his will is going towards Masses being said for his soul, because he knows he cannot rely on the prayers of friends and family.
That theory causes me to wonder why the popes are not REdressed as they were buried, in period Mass vestments….
I think that just occasional preaching on Purgatory, along with black vestments for funerals would remind folks to pray for their deceased.
an easy way to pray for the dead more… say a quick prayer when ever you pass a cemetery. Good luck quitting. I find you can easily over come one bad habit by adopting a new one… drinking maybe? ;-P
naturally Im ribbing.
Let’s hope that more black vestments return as well as the Dies Irae!
At the time of Blessed Pope John XXIII exhumation then Archpriest of St Peters Cardinal Noe reported that as the coverings over the remains of the late pope were removed (traditionally a veil over the face and an ermine blanket over the body) red vestments could be recognised. The Cardinal’s wording suggesting there was much deterioration in the full pontificals the pope was buried in.
I expect as time progresses it will be necessary to change the vestments the body
is now displayed in as is the case with other displays (Lenin in Moscow and Mao in Beijing). Note how St Pius X body has the face and hands covered by a mask of sorts.
Of interest too was the variance of reports as to the ‘incorruptible’ state of Pope John’s remains. Some reports suggest he was ’secretly’ injected with embalming chemicals while others suggest his remains were only sprayed with chemicals to ensure a seemly lying in state for public veneration after reports that Pius XII was decomposing while lying in state.